Five associates of former Minister of State for Petroleum, Timipre Sylva, have been arraigned before the Federal High Court in Abuja by the Department of State Services over allegations that they concealed information about the former minister’s whereabouts.
The defendants—Reuben Ayuba, Musa Mohammed, Friday Paul, Paganengigha Anagaha and Ayebaifie Suobite—appeared before Justice Peter Lifu on Wednesday to answer a two-count charge bordering on allegedly shielding Sylva, whom prosecutors described as a fugitive.
According to the charges, the DSS alleged that on April 28, 2026, the five defendants became accessories after the fact by concealing Sylva’s whereabouts, an offence said to be contrary to Section 519 of the Criminal Code Act, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.
They were also accused of conspiring to commit a felony by helping to conceal the former minister’s location, contrary to Section 516 of the Criminal Code.
All five defendants pleaded not guilty when the charges were read in court.
Following the plea, counsel for the DSS, Emmanuel Orubor, asked the court to fix a date for trial, while defence lawyers separately applied for bail on behalf of their clients.
Senior Advocate of Nigeria Sanusi Musa, representing the first and fourth defendants, urged the court to grant bail, arguing that the accused had remained in DSS custody since October 25, 2025. Similar applications were made by Ibrahim Imadegbelo, I. G. Kelubia and E. C. Sogo for the remaining defendants.
Justice Peter Lifu granted each defendant bail in the sum of ₦5 million with two sureties in like sum.
The court directed that each surety must submit an affidavit of means, provide evidence of three years of tax payments, present proof of a verifiable source of livelihood and submit recent passport photographs. The judge also ordered the court registrar to verify the identities of the sureties.
Pending the fulfilment of the bail conditions, the defendants were remanded at the Kuje Correctional Centre.
The case was adjourned until July 22 for the commencement of trial.
Court documents allege that the defendants knowingly concealed the whereabouts of Sylva after he was declared wanted by authorities, thereby obstructing efforts to apprehend him.
The prosecution’s case is linked to an ongoing Federal Government investigation in which Sylva, a former governor of Bayelsa State, and several others are accused of involvement in an alleged coup plot against the administration of President **Bola Tinubu>.
Following his declaration as wanted, prosecutors also filed charges against his younger brother, Moses Sylva, and other associates, alleging they withheld information about his whereabouts to frustrate security agencies’ efforts to arrest him.
Sylva has consistently denied the allegations.
The broader investigation stems from an alleged plot to overthrow the Nigerian government in October 2025. Authorities claim the conspiracy involved plans to assassinate the president, vice president and senior leaders of the National Assembly during Nigeria’s Independence Day celebrations.
Among those standing trial in connection with the alleged plot are Mohammed Ma’aji, Mohammed Gana, Victor Erasmus Ochegobia, and Ahmed Ibrahim, while several serving military officers are facing separate court-martial proceedings.
The Federal Government has maintained that investigations into the alleged treason and terrorism offences remain ongoing before the Federal High Court.
